Deadline.com reports that Warner Bros. and MGM are aggressively courting Peter Jackson to take the helm of THE HOBBIT films. He is producing the film and co-wrote it with Guillermo del Toro, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Del Toro had been attached to direct but the extending of the production date due to MGM's financial woes, left the director no other option than to step away from the project to pursue other opportunities.

While Jackson is the studios' first choice other names have been circling the project including David Yates (HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX), David Dobkin (WEDDING CRASHERS) and Brett Ratner (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND).